Braking control system for vehicle

ABSTRACT

An automatic emergency braking system for a vehicle includes a forward viewing camera and a control. At least in part responsive to processing of captured image data, the presence of another vehicle closing on the subject vehicle is determined, and a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to the other vehicle is also determined. Responsive at least in part to a speed of the subject vehicle and the determined relative speed, the control controls the subject vehicle&#39;s brake system. Responsive to determination that the driver of the subject vehicle is impaired, the automatic emergency braking system does not allow the driver to override the control&#39;s control of the subject vehicle&#39;s brake system. Responsive to a determination that the driver of the subject vehicle is not impaired, the automatic emergency braking system allows the driver to override the control&#39;s control of the subject vehicle′ brake system.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/809,542, filed Jul. 27, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,481,344,which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/082,575,filed Nov. 18, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,090,234, which claims thefiling benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/727,910,filed Nov. 19, 2012, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to automatic emergency braking systems forvehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automatic emergency braking systems are known. Examples of such knownsystems are described in U.S. Publication No. US2012-0218412 and/or U.S.Pat. Nos. 6,850,156; 7,123,168; 6,534,884; 5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or5,550,677, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a braking control system for resolvingautomatic braking events that, responsive to a determination that acollision is likely or imminent and actuation of the brake system of avehicle by the automatic emergency braking system of the vehicle,controls the brake system of the vehicle. After the initialdetermination of a likely or imminent collision, and after the brakesystem has initially been applied by the automatic braking system, thebraking control system of the present invention (which may be a separatesystem or part of the automatic braking system) further determines ormonitors the vehicle speed and approach rate to the other vehicle orobject, and continues to control the brakes or apply the brakes orrelease the brakes based on various relationships between the speed ofthe subject vehicle and the relative speed or location of the targetvehicle or object and the status of the driver of the subject vehicle.The braking control system may allow for the driver to override thesystem only when the braking control system determines that the driver'sdriving abilities are not impaired or compromised or that the driver isnot inattentive or unresponsive (such as due to a collision or nearcollision or airbag deployment or the like).

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle with a braking system inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a logic flowchart of the braking control system in accordancewith the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A vehicle vision system and/or driver assist system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system operates to capture images exteriorof the vehicle and may process the captured image data to display imagesand to detect objects at or near the vehicle and in the predicted pathof the vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a forward or rearward direction. The vision systemincludes an image processor or image processing system that is operableto receive image data from one or more cameras and provide an output toa display device for displaying images representative of the capturedimage data. The vision system may capture image data that may beprocessed by an image processor for use in association with variousvehicle systems or driver assistance systems or display systems or thelike.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 is equipped with an automatic emergency braking(AEB) system and/or dynamic brake support (DBS) system or brakingcontrol system 12 (or collision avoidance system or collision mitigationsystem or system for resolving automatic braking events) that includesat least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as aforwardly facing camera 14 (and optionally the system may includemultiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as arearwardly facing camera at the rear of the vehicle, and asidewardly/rearwardly facing camera at respective sides of the vehicle),which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having alens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane orimager of the camera (FIG. 1). The braking control system 12 includes acontrol or electronic control unit (ECU) or processor 16 that isoperable to process image data captured by the camera or that isoperable to process controls or other signals provided by the camera.The data transfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU maycomprise any suitable data or communication link, such as a vehiclenetwork bus or the like of the equipped vehicle.

The control 16 (which may comprise a single control unit of the vehicleor camera or two or more controls or processors of the vehicle and/orcamera) of the braking control system 12 of the vehicle 10 is operableto actuate or apply the vehicle brakes 18, 19 of the vehicle, asdiscussed in detail below. The braking control system of the presentinvention may include or may be responsive to a steering wheel sensor 20and/or vehicle speed sensor 22. The forward facing camera 14 may bedisposed at a forward portion of the vehicle or may be disposed at orbehind the windshield of the vehicle, such as at the interior rearviewmirror assembly of the vehicle (such as shown in FIG. 1).

The performance expectations of autonomous emergency braking or AEBsystems (where the vehicle system applies braking automatically when itdetermines that a collision is imminent) and/or dynamic brake support orDBS systems (where the system applies additional braking after thedriver has pressed the brake pedal) have been under development foryears. The focus of development has been on determining when the systemshould be triggered in order to prevent or mitigate a collision.However, once the system is activated, the system must also bedeactivated at the appropriate time if the driver does not take control(referred to as a driver override) to prevent further collisionsfollowing the initial impact or immediate event or to reduce or limit orminimize the chance or severity of further collisions following theinitial impact or immediate event. As proposed, EuroNCAP and NHTSAregulations only require mitigation, not prevention, of impact at highspeed.

The AEB/DBS logic of the braking control system of the present inventioncan determine that a collision has occurred based on one or more inputs,such as (i) an input from one or more ranging sensors (which may includeimage based sensors, such as one or more cameras disposed at the vehicleand having an exterior field of view, and/or non-image-based sensors,such as a radar sensor, a laser sensor and/or an ultrasonic sensorand/or the like disposed at the vehicle), (ii) an input indicative of atriggering of a pre-crash sensor, (iii) an input indicative of an airbagdeployment, (iv) an input indicative of a longitudinal acceleration(such as sudden deceleration and a spike in jerk or the like), (v) aninput indicative of a drop in vehicle speed (such as a decrease invehicle speed of more than a threshold amount), (vi) an input indicativeof a threshold time-to-collision or TTC (time to collision between thesubject vehicle and other vehicle, such as may be measured or determinedor estimated by a ranging sensor, such as by image processing of imagedata captured by a camera or the like), and/or (vii) an input indicativeof a threshold closing rate or relative velocity between the detected orapproaching vehicle and the subject or equipped vehicle (note that, inthis disclosure, the relative velocity between the target vehicle andsubject vehicle is considered positive when the vehicles are closing orapproaching one another and is considered negative when the vehicles aremoving away from one another or when a gap between the vehicles isincreasing).

In all cases, the potential latencies and errors of the sensors may betaken into account. One of the benefits of determining that a collisionhas occurred is that it allows the AEB/DBS logic to better handle inputsensors that become noisy, damaged or destroyed due to the collision.

A moving vehicle is less likely to get in a rear end collision and lesslikely to result in injury, as evidenced 1990 NHTSA data. However, amoving vehicle is more likely to cause a severe injury as it coulddepart the lane and roll over, strike a wall, hit pedestrians and/or thelike.

The ability of an AEB/DBS system to slow the subject vehicle isdependent on the physical capabilities of the vehicle brake system.

This influences the timing calibrations. A fully autonomous emergencybraking (AEB) system can release the vehicle brakes when the PrincipleOther Vehicle (POV) or target vehicle or detected vehicle or approachingvehicle or closing vehicle is no longer closing in on the subjectvehicle or SV (such as when the relative velocity is less than athreshold level or X calibration). The determination of whether or notthe vehicle is closing (such as by determining the relative velocity ofthe POV to the SV) may be indirectly or directly determined by thesensor. Thresholds for calibrations may be determined by calculations orreference tables.

A flow chart of a braking control system (and its high-level logic) ofthe present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The braking control system isoperable to control the braking of the subject vehicle after anautonomous emergency braking system or the like (which may be a separatesystem from the braking control system or may be part of an overallbraking control system of the vehicle) is triggered and after the brakesare initially applied. The braking control system is then operable todetermine movement of the subject vehicle and to determine whether ornot a collision occurs and to determine the vehicle speed and todetermine an approach rate or relative velocity between the subjectvehicle and POV, and may apply and/or release the vehicle brakesresponsive to such determinations. Optionally, the braking controlsystem may have various driver overrides, where the control or systemstops applying the vehicle brakes when it is determined that the driverhas taken over control of the vehicle (such as when it is determinedthat the driver is applying the brakes and/or evasively maneuvering thevehicle to avoid the collision or the like). The braking control systemis also responsive to a determination of driver impairment or the like,where the driver may not be fully aware of the situation or fullycapable of responding to the situation and controlling the vehicle, and,responsive to such a determination, the system may or may not allow thedriver to override the braking system.

Thus, the present invention provides an automatic emergency brakingsystem or braking control system for a vehicle that controls ormodulates the automatic braking and non-braking of the vehicle after thebrakes are initially applied by an automatic emergency braking system(such as after the AEB/DBS system has triggered the automatic braking ofthe vehicle, such as responsive to a detection that a collision islikely or imminent). The braking control system, responsive at least inpart to the vehicle speed and closing rate or rate of approach of thevehicle to a target vehicle, may modulate the vehicle brakes, such as byholding or applying the vehicle brakes until the vehicle is fully orsubstantially stopped or releasing the brakes after the initialapplication (such as where the subject vehicle speed is above athreshold speed but the approach rate is below a threshold rate).

For example, and with reference to FIG. 2, a system or process 110 ofthe braking control system of the present invention starts at 112, wherethe AEB/DBS automatic braking or event is triggered. If the subjectvehicle (SV) speed is determined to be still or not moving at 114 (ormoving at a reduced rate that is below a threshold speed) for athreshold period of time or calibratable amount of time, then thebraking control system releases the vehicle brakes at 116. However, ifthe vehicle is determined at 114 to be moving, then the braking controlsystem determines if a collision is detected at 118. If no collision isdetected, then it is determined at 120 whether the SV speed is greaterthan a threshold speed level. If the SV speed is not greater than thethreshold speed level, then it is determined at 122 if the targetvehicle or POV is closing on the SV. If the target vehicle is notclosing on the SV (in other words, the relative velocity is less thanthe threshold value or X calibration value), then the braking controlsystem releases the vehicle brakes at 116 (and the system may releasethe brakes after a holding period).

If a collision is detected at 118, then the braking control systemdetermines at 124 whether or not the driver is impaired (such as viadetermination of an airbag deployment or via a camera or monitoringsystem or eyesight tracking system that captures images of the driver'sface and eyes to determine attentiveness and the like to determine ifthe driver is aware enough to override the system and properly controlthe vehicle), whereby an override function may only be allowed if theability check is passed by the driver. Likewise, if no collision isdetected at 118, but the SV speed is determined at 120 to be greaterthan a threshold speed level, then the braking control system determinesif the driver is impaired at 124. Also, if no collision is detected at118, and the SV speed is determined to be less than the threshold levelat 120, but the target is determined at 122 to be closing (i.e., therelative velocity is greater than the threshold value or X calibrationvalue), then the braking control system determines if the driver isimpaired at 124.

The braking control system may determine if the driver of the subjectvehicle is impaired or compromised or non-responsive via any suitablemeans. For example, a cabin monitoring system or driver head monitoringsystem (or any system that has a camera or image sensor that is operableto capture images of the driver's face or the like) may detect thedriver's face and eyes to determine whether or not the driver is alert.Optionally, if a driver side or front airbag is deployed, the brakingcontrol system (which may receive a signal indicative of such airbagdeployment) may determine that the driver is impaired or compromised.Optionally, if the driver behavior is highly erratic or unsafe (whichthe system may determine responsive to a brake pedal sensor and/oraccelerator pedal sensor and/or steering wheel sensor or the like), thebraking control system may determine that the driver is impaired orinjured and not functioning or driving properly. Other means fordetermining that the driver is impaired or compromised and thus not fitto override the braking system may be implemented by the braking controlsystem of the present invention.

If the braking control system determines that the driver is impaired orcompromised or the like at 124, then the braking control systemmaintains braking of the vehicle at 126 until the vehicle is stopped,whereby the braking may be released. If the braking control systemdetermines at 124 that the driver is not impaired, then the brakingcontrol system may allow the driver to override the vehicle brakingsystem. Thus, if the driver is not impaired, then the braking controlsystem determines at 128 whether or not there is a driver override (suchas whether or not the unimpaired driver is manually applying the SVbrakes or accelerator and/or evasively maneuvering the vehicle to avoidthe collision or the like). If there is a driver override determined at128, then the braking control system releases the brakes at 116, and ifthere is not a driver override determined at 128, then the brakingcontrol system maintains braking at 126 until the vehicle is stopped(such as determined at 114), whereby the vehicle braking may bereleased. Optionally, the braking control system may maintainapplication of the vehicle brakes even when it is determined that thedriver is not impaired and is manually applying the vehicle brakes.

Thus, if a collision is not detected, the braking control system maycontinue to apply or release the vehicle braking based on the subjectvehicle speed and the approach rate or relative velocity to the targetvehicle. If a collision is detected, the braking control system then maydetermine whether the subject vehicle speed is greater than a thresholdspeed and whether the subject vehicle is still closing on the targetvehicle. If the subject vehicle speed is greater than a threshold speedand/or the subject vehicle is approaching or closing on the targetvehicle (in other words, the relative velocity is positive and greaterthan a threshold level), then the braking control system maintains thebraking of the subject vehicle. However, if the subject vehicle speed isnot greater than the threshold speed and the subject vehicle is nolonger closing on the target vehicle, then the braking control systemreleases the brakes of the subject vehicle.

When the AEB system has been triggered (and thus starts applying thevehicle brakes) and when the braking control system of the presentinvention then determines that either a collision has occurred or thatthe subject vehicle speed is greater than a threshold speed or that thesubject vehicle is closing on the target vehicle, the braking controlsystem may then further determine whether or not the driver's ability todrive or control the vehicle has been impaired or compromised. If thebraking control system determines that the driver is impaired orcompromised, then the braking control system may maintain braking of thevehicle, regardless of whether or not the driver is attempting (orappears to be attempting) to override the automatic braking system (suchas when the impaired driver may unintentionally be applying the brakesor accelerator or turning the steering wheel in a manner that mayotherwise be indicative of the driver attempting to control thevehicle). However, if the braking control system determines that thedriver is not impaired or compromised, then any such attempts by thedriver to steer or drive or control the vehicle may be allowed tooverride the system, whereby the vehicle brakes may be released and thedriver can control or drive the vehicle.

As an example, in a situation where the SV may collide with a stationaryor non-moving or moving POV, the braking control system may continue tohold or apply the vehicle brakes until the subject vehicle becomesstationary (and optionally for an additional amount of time after thevehicle stops), unless the braking control system determines that thedriver is not impaired and is overriding the system. If no collision isdetected and the SV speed is less than X and the POV is not closing,then the braking control system may release the vehicle brakes.

Thus, the automatic emergency braking system or braking control systemof the present invention provides enhanced control of the vehicle brakesystem following the initial determination that the brakes should beapplied (such as when an automatic emergency braking system determinesthat a collision with a detected target vehicle is likely or imminent).The braking control system of the present invention preferably includesa forward facing (and/or rearward facing) machine vision camera and aforward facing (and/or rearward facing) radar device or sensor(preferably such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,013,780, which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). As describedin U.S. Pat. No. 8,013,780, image data captured by the camera and asprocessed by an image processor may be fused with radar data for theoverall processing and in making the determination of whether to applythe vehicle brakes and/or how much to apply the vehicle brakes.

The camera or sensor may comprise any suitable camera or sensor.Optionally, the camera may comprise a “smart camera” that includes theimaging sensor array and associated circuitry and image processingcircuitry and electrical connectors and the like as part of a cameramodule, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systems described inInternational Publication Nos. WO 2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise anEyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detectionsoftware (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755;7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detectvehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, andwhen an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate analert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at thedisplayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected objector vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detectedobject or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver ofthe equipped vehicle.

The vehicle system may include any type of vision sensor or sensors orranging sensor or sensors, such as imaging sensors or radar sensors orlidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonic sensors or the like. Theimaging sensor or camera may capture image data for image processing andmay comprise any suitable camera or sensing device, such as, forexample, an array of a plurality of photosensor elements arranged in atleast 640 columns and 480 rows (preferably a megapixel imaging array orthe like), with a respective lens focusing images onto respectiveportions of the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows andcolumns. The logic and control circuit of the imaging sensor mayfunction in any known manner, and the image processing and algorithmicprocessing may comprise any suitable means for processing the imagesand/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545;6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268;6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563;6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928;7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/0145343; WO 2012/154919; WO2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO 2012/145822; WO 2013/067083; WO2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO 2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO 2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592 and/or U.S. patent application Ser.No. 14/052,945, filed Oct. 14, 2013; Ser. No. 14/046,174, filed Oct. 4,2013; Ser. No. 14/036,723, filed Sep. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 14/016,790,filed Sep. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 14/001,272, filed Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No.13/970,868, filed Aug. 20, 2013; Ser. No. 13/964,134, filed Aug. 12,2013; Ser. No. 13/942,758, filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/942,753,filed Jul. 16, 2013; Ser. No. 13/927,680, filed Jun. 26, 2013; Ser. No.13/916,051, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 13/894,870, filed May 15,2013; Ser. No. 13/887,724, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No. 13/852,190, filedMar. 28, 2013; Ser. No. 13/851,378, filed Mar. 27, 2013; Ser. No.13/848,796, filed Mar. 22, 2012; Ser. No. 13/847,815, filed Mar. 20,2013; Ser. No. 13/800,697, filed Mar. 13, 2013; Ser. No. 13/785,099,filed Mar. 5, 2013; Ser. No. 13/779,881, filed Feb. 28, 2013; Ser. No.13/774,317, filed Feb. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 13/774,315, filed Feb. 22,2013; Ser. No. 13/681,963, filed Nov. 20, 2012; Ser. No. 13/660,306,filed Oct. 25, 2012; Ser. No. 13/653,577, filed Oct. 17, 2012; and/orSer. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, and/or U.S. provisionalapplications, Ser. No. 61/895,610, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No.61/895,609, filed Oct. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/893,489, filed Oct. 21,2013; Ser. No. 61/886,883, filed Oct. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,837,filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/879,835, filed Sep. 19, 2013; Ser. No.61/878,877, filed Sep. 17, 2013; Ser. No. 61/875,351, filed Sep. 9,2013; Ser. No. 61/869,195, filed. Aug. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,835,filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,836, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No.61/864,837, filed Aug. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/864,838, filed Aug. 12,2013; Ser. No. 61/856,843, filed Jul. 22, 2013, Ser. No. 61/845,061,filed Jul. 11, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,630, filed Jul. 10, 2013; Ser. No.61/844,173, filed Jul. 9, 2013; Ser. No. 61/844,171, filed Jul. 9, 2013;Ser. No. 61/842,644, filed Jul. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/840,542, filed Jun.28, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,619, filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/838,621,filed Jun. 24, 2013; Ser. No. 61/837,955, filed Jun. 21, 2013; Ser. No.61/836,900, filed Jun. 19, 2013; Ser. No. 61/836,380, filed Jun. 18,2013; Ser. No. 61/834,129, filed Jun. 12, 2013; Ser. No. 61/833,080,filed Jun. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/830,375, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No.61/830,377, filed Jun. 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/825,752, filed May 21, 2013;Ser. No. 61/825,753, filed May 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,648, filed May15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/823,644, filed May 15, 2013; Ser. No. 61/821,922,filed May 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/819,835, filed May 6, 2013; Ser. No.61/819,033, filed May 3, 2013; Ser. No. 61/816,956, filed Apr. 29, 2013;Ser. No. 61/815,044, filed Apr. 23, 2013; Ser. No. 61/814,533, filedApr. 22, 2013; Ser. No. 61/813,361, filed Apr. 18, 2013; Ser. No.61/810,407, filed Apr. 10, 2013; Ser. No. 61/808,930, filed Apr. 5,2013; Ser. No. 61/807,050, filed Apr. 1, 2013; Ser. No. 61/806,674,filed Mar. 29, 2013; Ser. No. 61/793,592, filed Mar. 15, 2013; Ser. No.61/772,015, filed Mar. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/772,014, filed Mar. 4, 2013;Ser. No. 61/770,051, filed Feb. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 61/770,048, filedFeb. 27, 2013; Ser. No. 61/766,883, filed Feb. 20, 2013; Ser. No.61/760,366, filed Feb. 4, 2013; Ser. No. 61/760,364, filed Feb. 4, 2013;Ser. No. 61/756,832, filed Jan. 25, 2013; Ser. No. 61/754,804, filedJan. 21, 2013; Ser. No. 61/736,104, filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No.61/736,103, filed Dec. 12, 2012; Ser. No. 61/734,457, filed Dec. 7,2012; Ser. No. 61/733,598, filed Dec. 5, 2012; Ser. No. 61/733,093,filed Dec. 4, 2012; Ser. No. 61/727,912, filed Nov. 19, 2012; and/orSer. No. 61/727,911, filed Nov. 19, 2012, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The system maycommunicate with other communication systems via any suitable means,such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in InternationalPublication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/081985,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/202,005, filed Aug. 17, 2011and published as U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0062743, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,123,168;7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176; 6,313,454 and6,824,281, and/or International Publication No. WO 2010/099416,published Sep. 2, 2010, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filedAug. 31, 2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International PublicationNo. WO 2011/028686, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/508,840,filed Jul. 24, 2009, and published Jan. 28, 2010 as U.S. Pat.Publication No. US 2010-0020170, and/or PCT Application No.PCT/US2012/048110, filed Jul. 25, 2012, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/534,657, filed Jun. 27, 2012, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The camera orcameras may comprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or cameramodules, and may utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,359, filed Apr. 24, 2008 andpublished Oct. 1, 2009 as U.S. Publication No. US-2009-0244361, and/orSer. No. 13/260,400, filed Sep. 26, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,542,451,and/or U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. The imaging arraysensor may comprise any suitable sensor, and may utilize various imagingsensors or imaging array sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOSimaging array sensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such asthe types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962;5,715,093; 5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719;6,201,642; 6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435;6,831,261; 6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149;7,038,577; 7,004,606 and/or 7,720,580, and/or U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 10/534,632, filed May 11, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,965,336;and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/076022, filed Sep. 11, 2008 andpublished Mar. 19, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/036176,and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2008/078700, filed Oct. 3, 2008 andpublished Apr. 9, 2009 as International Publication No. WO/2009/046268,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 5,929,786and/or 5,786,772, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/239,980,filed Sep. 30, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,496, and/or U.S.provisional applications, Ser. No. 60/628,709, filed Nov. 17, 2004; Ser.No. 60/614,644, filed Sep. 30, 2004; Ser. No. 60/618,686, filed Oct. 14,2004; Ser. No. 60/638,687, filed Dec. 23, 2004, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a video device forinternal cabin surveillance and/or video telephone function, such asdisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or7,370,983, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filedJun. 13, 2005 and published Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, a system fordetermining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle or object, suchas a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,255,451 and/or U.S.Pat. No. 7,480,149, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628,filed Sep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, and/or Ser. No. 12/578,732, filed Oct. 14, 2009 andpublished Apr. 22, 2010 as U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0097469, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec. 21, 2011 and published asU.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The video mirror display maycomprise any suitable devices and systems and optionally may utilizeaspects of the compass display systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,370,983; 7,329,013; 7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593;4,546,551; 5,699,044; 4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851;5,708,410; 5,737,226; 5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508;6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or 6,642,851, and/or European patentapplication, published Oct. 11, 2000 under Publication No. EP 0 1043566,and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,628, filed Sep. 14, 2005and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0061008,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen or device may beoperable to display images captured by a rearward viewing camera of thevehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (such as responsiveto the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reverse gear position orthe like) to assist the driver in backing up the vehicle, and optionallymay be operable to display the compass heading or directional headingcharacter or icon when the vehicle is not undertaking a reversingmaneuver, such as when the vehicle is being driven in a forwarddirection along a road (such as by utilizing aspects of the displaysystem described in PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/056295, filed Oct.14, 2011 and published Apr. 19, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in PCT Application No. PCT/US10/25545, filed Feb. 26, 2010 andpublished on Sep. 2, 2010 as International Publication No. WO2010/099416, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US10/47256, filed Aug. 31,2010 and published Mar. 10, 2011 as International Publication No. WO2011/028686, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2011/062834, filed Dec. 1,2011 and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No.WO2012/075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US2012/048993, filed Jul.31, 2012, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/US11/62755, filed Dec. 1, 2011and published Jun. 7, 2012 as International Publication No. WO2012-075250, and/or PCT Application No. PCT/CA2012/000378, filed Apr.25, 2012, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/333,337, filed Dec.21, 2011 and published as U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, and/orU.S. provisional applications, Ser. No. 61/615,410, filed Mar. 26, 2012;Ser. No. 61/588,833, filed Jan. 20, 2012; Ser. No. 61/570,017, filedDec. 13, 2011; and/or Ser. No. 61/568,791, filed Dec. 9, 2011, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/091,525, filedApr. 25, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,855,755; Ser. No. 11/226,628, filedSep. 14, 2005 and published Mar. 23, 2006 as U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008; and/or Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thedisplay is viewable through the reflective element when the display isactivated to display information. The display element may be any type ofdisplay element, such as a vacuum fluorescent (VF) display element, alight emitting diode (LED) display element, such as an organic lightemitting diode (OLED) or an inorganic light emitting diode, anelectroluminescent (EL) display element, a liquid crystal display (LCD)element, a video screen display element or backlit thin film transistor(TFT) display element or the like, and may be operable to displayvarious information (as discrete characters, icons or the like, or in amulti-pixel manner) to the driver of the vehicle, such as passenger sideinflatable restraint (PSIR) information, tire pressure status, and/orthe like. The mirror assembly and/or display may utilize aspectsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190; 7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The thicknesses and materials of the coatings on thesubstrates of the reflective element may be selected to provide adesired color or tint to the mirror reflective element, such as a bluecolored reflector, such as is known in the art and such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or 7,274,501, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and 6,124,886, and/or U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/538,724, filed Jun. 13, 2005 andpublished Mar. 9, 2006 as U.S. Publication No. US-2006-0050018, whichare hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

While the above description constitutes a plurality of embodiments ofthe present invention, it will be appreciated that the present inventionis susceptible to further modification and change without departing fromthe fair meaning of the accompanying claims.

1. An automatic emergency braking system for a vehicle, said automaticemergency braking system comprising: a forward viewing camera that isconfigured to be disposed behind a windshield of a subject vehicle so asto view forwardly through the windshield; a control; said controlcomprising an image processor operable to process image data captured bysaid forward viewing camera when said forward viewing camera is disposedbehind the windshield of the subject vehicle; wherein said control isoperable to control a brake system of the subject vehicle; wherein, atleast in part responsive to processing by said image processor ofcaptured image data, the presence of another vehicle present in thefield of view of said forward viewing camera and closing on the subjectvehicle is determined; wherein, at least in part responsive toprocessing by said image processor of captured image data, a relativespeed of the subject vehicle relative to the other vehicle isdetermined, and, responsive at least in part to a speed of the subjectvehicle and the determined relative speed, said control controls thebrake system of the subject vehicle; wherein said automatic emergencybraking system determines if a driver of the subject vehicle isimpaired; and wherein, responsive to determination that the driver ofthe subject vehicle is impaired, said automatic emergency braking systemdoes not allow the driver to override said control's control of thebrake system of the subject vehicle, and wherein, responsive to adetermination that the driver of the subject vehicle is not impaired,said automatic emergency braking system allows the driver to overridesaid control's control of the brake system of the subject vehicle. 2.The automatic emergency braking system of claim 1, wherein said controlis operable to control the brake system of the subject vehicle byapplying the brakes of the subject vehicle.
 3. The automatic emergencybraking system of claim 2, wherein, after said automatic emergencybraking system applies the brakes of the subject vehicle, said controlreleases the brakes of the brake system of the subject vehicleresponsive to a determination that the subject vehicle is not moving. 4.The automatic emergency braking system of claim 2, wherein said controlcontrols the brake system of the subject vehicle responsive to the speedof the subject vehicle being greater than a threshold speed and thedetermined relative speed being greater than a threshold value.
 5. Theautomatic emergency braking system of claim 4, wherein said automaticemergency braking system determines if the driver of the subject vehicleis impaired at least in part responsive to a cabin monitoring system ofthe subject vehicle.
 6. The automatic emergency braking system of claim5, wherein the cabin monitoring system comprises an interior viewingcamera having a field of view that encompasses the driver of the subjectvehicle, and wherein said automatic emergency braking system determinesif the driver of the subject vehicle is impaired at least in partresponsive to image processing of image data captured by the interiorviewing camera.
 7. The automatic emergency braking system of claim 1,wherein said automatic emergency braking system determines if the driverof the subject vehicle is impaired at least in part responsive to adriving characteristic of the driver of the subject vehicle.
 8. Theautomatic emergency braking system of claim 1, wherein said automaticemergency braking system determines that the driver of the subjectvehicle is impaired at least in part responsive to a determination ofdriver behavior.
 9. The automatic emergency braking system of claim 8,wherein said automatic emergency braking system determines driverbehavior responsive to braking of the subject vehicle.
 10. The automaticemergency braking system of claim 8, wherein said automatic emergencybraking system determines driver behavior responsive to acceleration ofthe subject vehicle.
 11. The automatic emergency braking system of claim8, wherein said automatic emergency braking system determines driverbehavior responsive to steering of the subject vehicle.
 12. Theautomatic emergency braking system of claim 2, wherein said automaticemergency braking system determines time-to-collision between thesubject vehicle and the other vehicle.
 13. The automatic emergencybraking system of claim 12, wherein time-to-collision between thesubject vehicle and the other vehicle is determined by a ranging sensorof the equipped vehicle.
 14. The automatic emergency braking system ofclaim 13, wherein the ranging sensor of the equipped vehicle comprises aradar sensor.
 15. The automatic emergency braking system of claim 12,wherein time-to-collision between the subject vehicle and the othervehicle is determined at least in part responsive to processing by saidimage processor of captured image data.
 16. An automatic emergencybraking system for a vehicle, said automatic emergency braking systemcomprising: a forward viewing camera that is configured to be disposedbehind a windshield of a subject vehicle so as to view forwardly throughthe windshield; a control; said control comprising an image processoroperable to process image data captured by said forward viewing camerawhen said forward viewing camera is disposed behind the windshield ofthe subject vehicle; wherein said control is operable to control a brakesystem of the subject vehicle; wherein said control is operable tocontrol the brake system of the subject vehicle by applying the brakesof the subject vehicle; wherein, at least in part responsive toprocessing by said image processor of captured image data, the presenceof another vehicle present in the field of view of said forward viewingcamera and closing on the subject vehicle is determined; wherein, atleast in part responsive to processing by said image processor ofcaptured image data, a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative tothe other vehicle is determined, and, responsive at least in part to aspeed of the subject vehicle and the determined relative speed, saidcontrol controls the brake system of the subject vehicle; wherein saidautomatic emergency braking system determines if a driver of the subjectvehicle is impaired; wherein, responsive to determination that thedriver of the subject vehicle is impaired, said automatic emergencybraking system does not allow the driver to override said control'scontrol of the brake system of the subject vehicle, and wherein,responsive to a determination that the driver of the subject vehicle isnot impaired, said automatic emergency braking system allows the driverto override said control's control of the brake system of the subjectvehicle; and wherein said automatic emergency braking system determinestime-to-collision between the subject vehicle and the other vehicle. 17.The automatic emergency braking system of claim 16, whereintime-to-collision between the subject vehicle and the other vehicle isdetermined by a radar sensor.
 18. The automatic emergency braking systemof claim 17, wherein time-to-collision between the subject vehicle andthe other vehicle is determined at least in part responsive toprocessing by said image processor of captured image data.
 19. Theautomatic emergency braking system of claim 16, wherein, after saidautomatic emergency braking system applies the brakes of the subjectvehicle, said control releases the brakes of the brake system of thesubject vehicle responsive to a determination that the subject vehicleis not moving.
 20. An automatic emergency braking system for a vehicle,said automatic emergency braking system comprising: a forward viewingcamera that is configured to be disposed behind a windshield of asubject vehicle so as to view forwardly through the windshield; acontrol; said control comprising an image processor operable to processimage data captured by said forward viewing camera when said forwardviewing camera is disposed behind the windshield of the subject vehicle;wherein said control is operable to control a brake system of thesubject vehicle; wherein, at least in part responsive to processing bysaid image processor of captured image data, the presence of anothervehicle present in the field of view of said forward viewing camera andclosing on the subject vehicle is determined; wherein, at least in partresponsive to processing by said image processor of captured image data,a relative speed of the subject vehicle relative to the other vehicle isdetermined, and, responsive at least in part to a speed of the subjectvehicle and the determined relative speed, said control controls thebrake system of the subject vehicle; wherein said automatic emergencybraking system determines if a driver of the subject vehicle isimpaired; wherein, responsive to determination that the driver of thesubject vehicle is impaired, said automatic emergency braking systemdoes not allow the driver to override said control's control of thebrake system of the subject vehicle, and wherein, responsive to adetermination that the driver of the subject vehicle is not impaired,said automatic emergency braking system allows the driver to overridesaid control's control of the brake system of the subject vehicle; andwherein said automatic emergency braking system determines if the driverof the subject vehicle is impaired at least in part responsive to atleast one of (i) a cabin monitoring system of the subject vehicle and(ii) a determination of driver behavior.
 21. The automatic emergencybraking system of claim 20, wherein said automatic emergency brakingsystem determines time-to-collision between the subject vehicle and theother vehicle.